Auxiliary sole for sport shoes



Feb. 13, 1962 D. H. MCCANN AUXILIARY sou: FOR SPORT SHOES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19, 1960 'iill INVENTOR. DONALD H. MCCANN FIG. 4

ATTORNEYS Feb. 13, 1962 D. H. MCCANN 3,020,654

AUXILIARY SOLE FOR SPORT SHOES Filed May 19, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. F 8 Donald H. McConn ATTORN EYS Patented Feb. 13, 1962 3,020,654 AUXILIARY SOLE FOR SPORT SHOES Donald H. McCann, 42 Nicholson Place, Tiverton, RJ. Filed May 19, 1960, Ser. No. 30,164 Claims. (Cl. 36-75) This invention relates to an improvement in an auxiliary sole which is designed to transform a sport shoe with protruding elements into an ordinary walking shoe and is a continuation-in-part of my application, Serial No. 835,985, filed August 25, 1959, now abandoned.

In certain types of sport or work shoes there are provided a plurality of protruding elements from the sole of the shoe. These protruding elements are adapted to give a better traction to the shoe proper and adequately serve this purpose when the shoe is used in connection with walking on a soft surface such as dirt or the like. However, it is not very practical to use such a shoe to walk upon a hardwood floor or the like for it not only mars the floor, but in some instances does not give a very good traction.

It is therefore the mainobject of this invention to provide an auxiliary sole which serves as a guard for protruding elements on a sport or work shoe so that the surface walked upon is protected from injurious contact.

A further object of the invention is to provide for a simple auxiliary sole construction which will be of light weight and extremely convenient to attach and remove.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:-

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view partly in section of a golf shoe with the invention applied thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view looking at the upper side of the auxiliary sole;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view partly in section showing a modified form;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of an auxiliary sole for a shoe with cleats;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the sole of a golf shoe with protective disc elements placed over some of the spikes;

FIGURE 6 is a detached elevational view of a modified form;

FIGURE 7 is a detached perspective view of a second form of protective disc element; and

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view of a further modified form of the invention.

A sport shoe of the type used in golf is illustrated in F E 1 of thedrawingas having affixed to the forward sole portion and to the heel a plurality of spikes 12 which are characterized as being of conical shape with a convex plate or washer portion 13, the spikes 12 and/or the portions 13 being preferably made from ferrous metal material. The plate portion 13 serves as a bearing to facilitate fastening of the spikes to the sole of the shoe, and in general golf shoes have similar arrangements of spikes whereby these spikes generally extend adjacent the periphery of the sole and the heel portion. In accordance with a first embodiment of the instant invention, there is provided an auxiliary sole generally designated 15 which comprises a flexible sole portion 16 that may be made from leather, rubber or other synthetic materials that exhibit the necessary flexibility and toughness. Suitably afiixed, as by adhesive or other means, to this auxiliary sole portion 16 are a plurality of magnet disc members 17 which are arranged in the same pattern as the spikes on the bottom of the shoe. To this end, it is desirable that the magnet members 17 be provided with a concavity or countersink 18 to mate with the convex washer 13 and a bore 19 which will be adapted to receive the conical spike 12. The magnet member 17 is preferably molded from a flexible magnetic strip-type of material. For example, they may be made from a synthetic elastomeric material such as Koroseal (B. F. Goodrich), which has embedded therein a highly permeable paramagnetic powder. An example of a material also suitable for my invention is shown in the patent to Bernstein No. 2,589,766, dated March 18, 1952. In such magnets the direction of polarity may be controlled as stated in column 3, lines 49-52, and as further shown in the Kato et :11. Patent No. 1,997,193, dated April 3, 1935. For example, the shapes 17 may be extruded in the general cylindrical configuration shown and have a central bore 19 formed therein during extrusion, the magnetic poles being oriented at diametrically opposite points on the shape, such as shown by the letters N, S in FIGURES 1 and 2. It will be appreciated, therefore, that the magnetic path is completed through the washer 13 between the poles N and S which insures that the magnet member 17 will firmly grip the washer 13. A further magnetic path in cluding an air gap is made through spikes 12. After extrusion, each of the pieces may be cut off and then suit ably formed with the concavity of the desired depth by the use of a countersink tool or the like. i

In applying the auxiliary sole shown in FIG. 2, it is merely necessary to place one end of the sole such as at the toe end over the initial spike and then proceed rearwardly covering and embracing each one of the spikes and pressing the magnet members into engagement with the washers 13 of the spikes. The sole will stay in position purely by virtue of the magnetic force being exerted between the magnet members 17 and the spike and washer portions. Since the sole 16 is of sufficient flexibility, it will flex to conform to the contour of the sole and if necessary will assume a partial concavity such as at 20 in FIG. 1. In this condition one is then enabled to walk with facility upon such hardsurfaces as pavements and floors without injury to the spikes 12 or to the surface walked upon. After the use of the device has ceased, it may be merely pulled off by grasping an overhanging portion of 'the sole 16 and peeling the device off, rolling it up and placing it in ones pocket for use later on. By virtue of the structure of this device, it is extremely flexible and may be readily rolled up and stored in a relatively small place, either in the pocket of ones golf bag, if golf is'b'ein'g played, or in ones coat pocket. i As an alternate construction, I have shown in FIG. 3 another method of performing the invention wherein the individual magnet members 17 herein designated 17' may be inserted within a recess such as 22 in a thick upper sole member 23. This thicker upper sole member 23is provided with a number of recesses 22 suflicient to accornmodate each protrusion and adapt the device to the use desired for the sport shoe encountered. A sufficient number of magnet members 17 are provided and one is placed in each recess and secured therein in various fashions which are well known to those skilled in the adhesive and fastening arts. Such an upper sole 23 for example might be made out of sponge rubber or the like and have a facing portion 24 of a still harder material. In this condition it will of course be recognized that the auxiliary sole 15 will not have the same flexibility as its earlier described embodiment shown in FIG. 2, but nevertheless, in this form will have at least more salable appeal to certain people as being a more rigid structure.

It should be further recognized that the principles of this invention can be applied to any sport shoe such as a baseball shoe that is formed on the sole thereof with a plurality of calks. In the case of the calks as with the spikes, there is provided a plate member with protruding rectangular portions and thus there is merely a different shape to contend with over which a magnet member is placed. To this end (see FIGURE 4), in lieu of a bore 19 there is provided a magnet member 30 with a rectangular recess 33 for receiving the protruding part of the calk. These members 30 may similarly be secured in an upper sole 31 having a facing portion 32 as in FIGURE 3 or to a sole 16 as in FIGURE 2.

Referring now to FIGURES to 8, there is shown some further modifications in the manner of constructing an auxiliary sole for an article of footwear which has a number of protruding elements therefrom. In accordance with this embodiment I take a number of disc-like members 40 and suitably provide a bore 41 therethrough, one end of the bore being countersunk as at 42. Basically then, the members 40 are similar to the members 17 previously described except that in this case they may be formed merely from a hard material such as hard rubber. To the end of the disc member 40 opposite the countersink 42, repair patch material 44 is secured. This repair patch material consists of one or more layers of rubber and fabric which may be vulcanized together, together with a face layer 45 of uncured gum rubber which is then covered with a protective sheet such as 46. A repair patch suitable for this application may be made in accordance with the disclosures in Patents 1,296,349; 1,348,466 or 2,031,960. I then take a rubber sole piece which has one uncured surface as in repair patch material or a contact adhesive surface and cut it generally to the outline or peripheral contour of the sole of the shoe to which it is adapted to be attached and apply to the forward part of this sole member 48 a toe strap 49 preferably made from elastic material, In the drawing this toe strap is shown as being applied to the bottom or cured surface of the sole piece 48 by a protective strip 50 which can also be made from repair patch material and attached by softening the rubber of the sole at this location or can be pure rubber vulcanized to the rubber sole piece 48. If the sole piece 48 is of a material other than rubber, then suitable adhesives can be utilized for the layer 45 of the patch 44 and for securing the protective strip 50. The toe strap 49 will have two loose ends which may be suitably fastened together in the area generally designated 51, no particular fastening means being illustrated as any suitable method may be utilized. To construct the auxiliary sole, the shoe is placed upside down with the spikes protruding upwardly and a disc member is placed over each of the spikes as shown in FIGURE 5. The protective covering piece 46 may then be torn from each of the disc members leaving the tacky or adhesive surface 45 facing upwardly and the protective covering over the uncured surface is removed and this surface of the sole piece 48 may then be laid over this entire structure and with a slight bit of pressure the disc members 40 will be united to the sole piece 48 since uncured rubber will adhere to uncured rubber or adhesive to adhesive in the alternate case.

The method of securing the heel portion of the auxiliary sole member may vary. For instance (see FIGURE 6), the disc members may take the form as shown in FIG- URES l and 2 namely magnet members 17 made of paramagnetic material and with the spikes being of ferrous material suitable adherence will be had at this point so that in conjunction with the toe strap 49 and the auxiliary sole 15A will be held to the shoe. Alternately, as shown in FIGURE 8, a heel strap portion 55 may be utilized. This heel strap portion 55 is preferably made from elastic material and is suitably secured to the outer face of the sole portion 48 as at 56 and may have adhesively secured to the free end thereof a piece of Velcro 57 which is described in the De Mestral Patent No. 2,717,437. Similarly the counter of the shoe has a mating piece of Velcrd' 58 adhesively secured thereto. The two portions of the Velcro 57 and 58 will be removably detachable from each other. Thus in the embodiment of FIGURE 8 a toe strap such as 49 together with the heel strap 55 will hold a number of non-magnetic disc-like members 40 and the complete sole structure to the base of the shoe.

I claim:

1. An auxiliary sole for an article of footwear having a plurality of protruding metallic surface engaging membars on the sole thereof, said auxiliary sole comprising a flexible sole piece having a plurality of disc members atfixed thereto in face-to-face relation, said disc members composed of relatively hard material to resist compres sion, each of said disc members having a bore therein to receive and completely embrace the protruding part of the surface engaging member, the depth of said bore being sutficient to maintain the said protruding part out of contact with the said sole piece, said bore and the face surface therearound having a shape to accept therein the surface engaging members, means holding the auxiliary sole in position with the disc members receiving the surface engaging members.

2. An auxiliary sole as in claim 1 wherein the surface engaging members are ferrous metal and said disc membars are composed of magnet material, the means holding the auxiliary sole in position being magnetic lines of force between the ferrous surface engaging members and the magnet disc members.

3. An auxiliary sole as in claim 2 wherein the magnet material consists of an elastomeric material having powdered paramagnetic material distributed therein.

4-. An auxiliary sole as in claim 1 wherein the holding means comprises an attaching strap affixed to the toe portion of the sole piece and a plurality of magnet disc members located in the heel portion of the auxiliary sole.

5. An auxiliary sole as in claim 1 wherein the holding means comprises an attaching strap afiixed to the toe portion of the sole piece for encircling the toe of the footwear and a second strap afiixed to the heel portion of the sole piece, said second strap cooperating with means secured to the counter of the footwear.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,958,107 Merrill et a1 May 8, 1934 2,032,052 Friedenberg Feb. 25, 1936 2,033,313 Wilson Mar. 10, 1936 2,076,316 Beals Apr. 6, 1937 2,260,138 Feinberg Oct. 21, 1941 

